Rail-joint.



UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEICE.

I GEORGE W. THURMAN, OE CACHE, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

RAIL-JolNT. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 27, 1904. Serial No. 238,349.

j Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

- To @ZZ-whom it may concern.- Y

i movement of the rail-sections is prevented,

therebyv obviating pounding of the rail ends, and one wherein the meeting ends of the rails are suscegltible of relative longitudinal movement to a ow for expansion and contraction.

, A further obj ect of the invention is to provide an improved fastening member or bolt for connecting the sections of the joint whereby liability of the nuts or taps becoming loosened owing to vibration of the rails or other causes is entirely overcome.

To' these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fullyhereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail-joint embodying v the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the rail-sections. Fig.,3 is a similar view ofthe companionkrail-section. Fig. 4 is a'horizontal longitudinal section through the joint, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5.. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional eleyajtion, hesection being taken on the line of Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the rail-sections, adapted to be assembled in endwise relation, these rails, except whereby when` t e rails are assembled the as hereinafter described, being of the usual or any appropriate construction and material. Eac section has formed thereon at a point suitably remote from its terminal and at one side of its web 3 a block or abutment 4, extended between the tread and -baseflange of the rail, and at the other side of its web a splicing member or bar 5, which projects beyond the terminal of the rail, the projecting portion 6 of the bar being of a length coincident with the distance between the terminal of the com anion rail and abutment 4,

. splicing-bars will 'each bear at its outer end against the block 4 `on the companion railsection. Each of the splicing-bars has upon its inner face and adjacent its vertical center a horizontal longitudinally-projecting tongue or rib7 of substantially rectangular form in cross-section and of a width equaling substantially half the thickness of the web 3,

which latter is provided with a longitudinal groove or recess 8 in longitudinal alinement with and of a cross-sectional form corresponding to that of the rib 7, the groove being terminated at its inner end and the tongue 7 at its outer end at points equally remote, respectively, from the adjacent block 4 and terminal of the splicing-bar 5. There is thus produced upon the innerk face of each splicingbar adjacent its outer end a flat bearing-face 9, adapted when the rail-sections are assembled to contact with a corresponding fiat bearing-face 10, produced upon one side of the web 3 of the companion rail-,section ata point between the block 4 and terminal of the groove 8. Y

The upper edge of each splicing-bar is recessed at a point contiguous to the terminal of the rail-section to provide a seat or recess 11 for` the reception of a depending engaging portion or lug 12, formed at the terminal of the rail upon the under side of its tread, the lug on one rail-section being adapted when the parts are assembled to seat in the recess tive longitudinal lmovement of the sections 1 .85 11 of the otherrail-section, thus to limit relaand 2, While lvertical movement of the latter relatively is prevented owing to the rib or projection 7 on one section seating in the corresponding groove 8 ofthe other section and, further, through the upperand lower edges of the bar extensions 6 bearing upon the adjacent faces ofthe treads and bases of the companion rail-sections. i

, The sections are secured in assembled position by means of transverse bolts 13 of rectangular form in cross-section and extended through transverse bolt-receiving openings 14 of rectan ular form to agree wlth. the cross-sectionail shape of the bolts, the bolts being provided at one end with headsl and at the other end with cylindrical threaded portions 16, each equipped with two sets of threads pitched in reverse directions for engagement, respectively, with nuts or taps 17 18.

Formed upon the outer face of each splicebar -is la series of bearing 'lugs or projections 19, Vcorresponding in number to and through which the openings 17 are continued. These lugs present vertical outer bearing faces IOO IIO

the parts are in assembled position and the bolts in place.

In practice the rail-sections are assembled, as usual, in endwise relation, with the extended portion 6 of each splice-bar overlapping the end ofthe companion rail and the lug 12 on each rail seated in the recess 11 of the other rail, as heretofore explained, the tongues 7 being underthese conditions in the vcorresponding-grooves 8 and the blocks 4 disposed at the terminals of the adjacent splicears. rPhe bolts 13 are then placed in position and eachsecured by means of a pair of taps `17 18, which are engaged, respectively, Withthe reversely-threaded portions of the bolt-spindles 16, whereby the nuts serve to lock each other in place and are prevented from escaping from the bolts owing to jarring of the rails or other causes. It is to -be particularly observed that the bolt-receiving openings are of somewhat larger diameter than the bolts and, further, that a corresponding'amount of play'is permitted'between the meeting ends ofthe rail-sections and the outer terminals of the s lice-bars 5 and adjacent abutments 4, W ereby provision is made for-the necessary expansion and contraction of the rails, while at the same time this longitudinal movement is limited through the medium of the engagement of n :the-lugs 12with the recesses 11 and the contact of the abutments '4 with the terminals of the splice-bars.

4From the foregoin it is apparent that I produce a sim le e cient device which in practice will a mirably perform its functions tothe attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein set forth may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I-Iavin-g thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. vArail-section, a splice-b ar carried wholly by theweb of vand projected beyond the terminal of the section, said bar having upon its normally inner face a horizontal longitudinally-extending rib, and Va corresponding groove formed in alinement with said rib.

2. Arail-section,asplice-barcarriedwholly 5o by the web of and projected longitudinally beyond said section and constituting an extension, the section having a longitudinallyextended recess formed wholly therein, and a horizontal rib formed upon the normally inner face of the extension in alinement and adapted to conform to said recess.

3. In a rail-joint, a pair of rail-sections adapted to be assembled in endwise relation, splice-bars carried wholly by the webs of the rail-sections and each adapted to overlap the end of the companion section, longitudinal grooves provided wholly in the rail-sections, and horizontally-projecting longitudinal ribs formed Wholly upon the inner faces of the splice-bars and each designed to it in the groove of the companion rail-section.

4. In a rail-joint, a pair of rail-sections having overlapping splice-bars, longitudinal laterally-projecting ribs formed upon the inner faces of the splice-bars, the sections being provided with longitudinal grooves each adapted to receive the rib of the companion section, vertically-depending engaging lugs provided adjacent the terminals of the railsections, and vertically-o )ening seats formed in the sections each for t 1e rece )tion of the lug on the companion section to lock the sections against longitudinal movement.

5. A rail-section comprising a tread, web and base-iiange, a splice-bar carried wholly by the web of and projecting beyond the terminal of the rail-section, said barbeing designed to seat between the tread and baseflange and to lie against one side face of the web of a companion rail-section, the rail-section having a longitudinally-extended roove formed in its web between itstread an baseflange, and a longitudinally-extending rib formed wholly upon the bar in alinement with and adapted to conform to the groove.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. THURMAN.

Witnesses Ron'r. BUCKER, EDWARD J. SHATTLER. 

